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New York City on Thursday began offering monkeypox vaccines to high-risk groups as authorities scramble to contain a global outbreak.
But demand has been so great that the city had to cancel walk-in appointments within hours of the program’s launch, and planned visits were already booked through early next week.
Unlike the early days of COVID, when there was no effective treatment, there are already several vaccines that work against the orthopoxvirus that causes the disease.
Around 28 people in the city have tested positive for the virus since early May, almost all men who have sex with men. Overall, New York City accounts for more than 20% of all cases diagnosed nationwide.
The move to offer the vaccine follows similar efforts in cities like Montreal and Toronto.
The health department on Thursday announced the opening of a makeshift clinic to give eligible people who may have been recently exposed to monkeypox the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine, the city said.
The vaccines will be administered at the Chelsea Sexual Health Clinic (303 Ninth Avenue in Manhattan). In the future, the clinic will be open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
But as of 2 p.m. Thursday, just three hours after opening its doors, the city said it was no longer accepting walk-in customers and that all appointments were taken through Monday. At the time, News 4 counted more than 100 people queuing in front of the clinic.
In a tweet, the health department advised people to check Sunday for more appointments next week.
How do you catch monkey pox?
The CDC released new monkeypox guidelines last week as the number of suspected cases boomed across the country, marking America’s largest-ever outbreak of monkeypox, typically confined to other continents.
While the CDC says the risk to the general public remains low, people are urged to avoid close contact with sick people, including those with skin or genital lesions, and sick or dead animals. Anyone showing symptoms such as an unexplained rash or lesion should contact their doctor for advice.
It is also recommended to avoid meat derived from wild animals or to use products (such as creams, powders or lotions) derived from wild animals originating in Africa.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 when outbreaks occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research—hence its name. (What you need to know about monkeypox.)
The first human case was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which still has the highest rate of infections. Other African countries where it has been found: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone.
Human symptoms of monkeypox are similar but milder than smallpox symptoms, the CDC says. It presents as a flu-like illness accompanied by swollen lymph nodes and a rash on the face and body.
Monkeypox begins with a fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. Monkeypox also causes the lymph nodes to swell, which smallpox does not. The incubation period is usually 7 to 14 days but can range from 5 to 21 days.
The CDC is urging health care providers across the United States to be vigilant for patients who have rashes consistent with monkeypox, whether they have traveled or are at specific risk for monkeypox. For more information, see the travel advisory here.
